Mike Tyson frustrated about New Zealand visa issue

Your probably expecting Mike to have done something crazy knowing what he used to be like but he may be a changed man now!

The Mike Tyson circus edged closer to New Zealand today but whether he is granted a visa for his planned November show in Auckland remains in the balance.  Former world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson took part in a teleconference streamed live from Las Vegas to reporters in Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth in a publicity drive for his "Day of the Champions" show in the Australasian cities.  The visa issue loomed large among the early questions - he was convicted of rape and spent three years in prison 20 years ago - and Tyson's frustration was obvious as his promoter Max Markson gave an update on his dealings with Immigration New Zealand.  Under the Immigration Act, anyone who has been sentenced to five years or more in prison is to be denied a visa to enter the country. Tyson was sentenced to six years, but was released early for good behaviour.  "We've applied for the visa and asked for a special direction from the minister, so we're waiting patiently for a visa," Markson said, without explaining which minister he was dealing with.   Markson, sitting alongside Tyson, suggested the former boxer's tattoo over and around his left eye, which has suggestions of Maori art, made him an "honorary New Zealander".  "He's a great ambassador and he really does have a tremendous story which he has to tell to the people of New Zealand and it would be a tragedy if the show that he's been doing on Broadway for the last few weeks can't be told," he said.

"Tragedy, huh?" Tyson replied, before appearing to lose his sense of humour when the visa questions continued.  "I'm not going to sit here and cower and beg to come to your country. I'm sorry, but if I can't come, I can't come. It will be my misfortune but I don't want to feel like I'm on trial to come to your country," Tyson said.  Markson added: "He's not a danger to New Zealand, he'll be there for one day."  Tyson said: "I haven't been to New Zealand. Man it must be a serious country if I can't go there."  His promoter read off a long list of countries Tyson had visited, suggesting the former self-styled "Baddest Man on the Planet" hadn't had problems entering them.  Tyson, who was extremely animated at times during the teleconference, shouting "New Zealand!" and "Auckland!" during the 34 minutes he received questions, hasn't always been one to bear such inconveniences lightly.  Apart from his prison sentence, Tyson, who was heavyweight champion of the world as a 20-year-old and was known for his powerful, aggressive style in the ring, bit the ears of fellow heavyweight and American Evander Holyfield during a notorious 1997 fight in Las Vegas.Now aged 46, he also threatened to eat the children of his opponents and was forced to attend rehabilitation due to a cocaine addiction.  More recently he has attempted to redefine himself as an actor, playing himself in The Hangover movies, which make light of his notorious past.  Tyson today refused to go into detail about his past, saying he was saving it for his show.  However, he did reveal that he believes boxing is stuck in the "18th century" ("people don't want to hurt each other no more"), he no longer has a tiger for a pet ("you can't keep a tiger for free!"), and he could categorically rule out a return to the ring. "No way, I'm not that person any more. If I was that person, I wouldn't have my family."  Tyson said he didn't design his tattoo on Maori art, and appeared slightly confused about a question relating to the All Blacks.  "I've always been black. I've been playing black all my life."  "I can't believe you've got me doing this s**t!", he added, laughing and slapping the table.  When it was all over he exited stage right, eating an apple.

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The home where Muhammad Ali grew up is up for sale

The house where boxing legend Muhammad Ali spent his childhood is up for sale.  The one-story white house comes complete with a sagging front porch overhang and is said to be the place where the future boxing champion's "values were instilled".  The house, which is situated along a tree-lined street in Louisville, is badly in need of repair.  It's valued at $23,260, according to the Jefferson County Property Value Administrator's website.  Owner Steve Stephenson is putting the property, which has become a popular tourist attraction over the years, up for sale at $50,000, according to reports.  In front of the home is a state historical marker recognizing the residence as Ali's boyhood home, when he was known as Cassius Clay.  The marker says Ali lived in the mostly black neighborhood with his parents and brother and attended local public schools.  Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said the city has an interest in preserving the home of a world-famous native son.  "Anything we can do to preserve and expand his legacy, we want to do that.  "His home serves as an inspiration for people to look at that and say, 'If this young guy, why not me?'"

The three-time world heavyweight champion remains one of the most recognizable figures on the planet, even though his public appearances have become sporadic as he fights Parkinson's disease.  Ali's influence extended far beyond the boxing ring. He retired from the ring in 1981 and devoted himself to social causes. He traveled the world on humanitarian missions and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush in 2005.  Through it all, Ali kept his ties to his hometown. The Muhammad Ali Center, a museum and education center in downtown Louisville, is one of the city's prime tourist attractions. Ali came home for a 70th birthday bash early this year.  Donald Lassere, president and CEO of the Ali Center, said officials there have "every hope that Muhammad's former home is preserved in a way that makes both Muhammad Ali and the city proud."  A few houses down from the home, neighbor James Calloway reminisced how his mother saw the boxing great's generosity early on, when a young Ali carried her laundry basket to a neighborhood Laundromat.  "He was real neighborly," the 63-year-old Calloway said.  It was at his childhood home where Ali began dreaming of boxing greatness.  Ali took up boxing at age 12, when his bike was stolen and he wanted to find and whip the culprit.

The boy was introduced to Joe Martin, a police officer who coached boxing at a local gym. Ali flourished in the ring, becoming a top amateur and Olympic gold medalist.  Calloway recalled how Ali would run with boots or leg weights to build up his strength and endurance. And how Ali, after making it big in the ring, would come back to the neighborhood in his big tour bus.  Another neighbor who didn't want to be identified said vehicles occasionally stop in front of the old Clay family home to read the historical marker. The home is several blocks from a main downtown thoroughfare.  Now, the home is showing outward signs of disrepair.  "I think it's a disgrace," said Calloway, who thinks it should be turned into a museum.  Fischer said it's nothing that can't be repaired.  "We all show our age ... from time to time, but we'd be able to fix that up, no problem," he said.  Ali was born Cassius Clay on January 17, 1942 and changed his name to Muhammad Ali after converting to the Muslim faith in 1964.  By then he had won the Olympic Gold medal in the 1960 games in Rome and gone on to "shock the world," stopping Sonny Liston to become the-then youngest ever heavyweight champion of the world, aged just 22, in 1964.  He defeated Liston in a rematch the following year and defended his title a further eight times before being stripped of his titles after refusing to be drafted into the US armed forces for the Vietnam war.   Three years later he returned to the ring and became a legend, taking on Joe Frazier three times and sensationally defeating George Foreman in the 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" to reclaim the titles he never lost in the ring, ten years after he originally won them.

Timothy Bradley wants Pacquiao to fight him

In an interview with The Times yesterday, World Boxing Organisation welterweight champion Timothy Bradley revealed he would want to fight former WBO welterweight titlist Manny Pacquiao once again.  Bradley, who won the title from Pacquiao on June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, believes the rematch will be a bigger sell-out than their previous encounter.  “I know boxing is a business and a sport, but as far as a rematch, we’ll meet a number everyone will be happy with because of the controversy: ‘This time Pacquiao will beat him.’ ‘Bradley will do better.’ People know who I am now because of the controversy. Honestly, I didn’t get crazy beat in that fight. It was competitive,” asserted Bradley.  Bradley won the title via split decision, which soon became controversial, as most fighters, analysts and fans believed Pacquiao was the rightful winner of the show. Even the World Boxing Organisation conducted a review of the fight with five international judges on the panel. The results showed Pacquiao won the showdown by a wide margin.  “It’s all up to Mr. Pacquiao,” added Bradley who is eager to meet the Filipino in the ring once again, as he is frustrated with all the curses and death threats he received after his victory over Pacquiao.

Bradley, right from day one, has maintained that he was not hurt by Pacquiao in the ring. According to Bradley, Pacquiao does not have enough punching power to knock him out. Right after the fight, Bradley revealed that he wants to go head to head with Pacquiao again in order to win in a more decisive manner to impress those who believe Pacquiao was robbed.  Now, Bradley is waiting for Pacquiao to decide his next opponent. The Filipino is scheduled to fight either on November 10 or December 1. Bob Arum, promoter for both the fighters, met Pacquiao last week in the Philippines to talk about the situation. However, the meeting ended with no result. Arum is now hopeful that Pacquiao’s decision regarding his next opponent will come by next week.  For now, Bradley can only wait and hope for the Filipino to select him as his opponent.

Don King aims for Boxing match in North Korea

He's known for his big hair and his big personality and at 81 years old, legendary boxing promoter Don King is still hard at work trying to turn his big dreams into reality. His latest endeavor: a boxing and music event in North Korea. "This came about by me thinking about Korea and feeling that Korea, that it should be one Korea," said King. When asked about the odds of this event actually coming together, King says, "It's very difficult to believe, I understand that." Understanding King may help explain why he believes he can make this event happen. The hallways of the Don King Productions office in South Florida are lined with photographs of him posing with world leaders, celebrities and athletes. There are old boxing posters and newspaper articles framed and hanging on the walls. It feels more like a museum than an office building. For decades, King has appeared alongside boxing greats including Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield -- promoting legendary matchups that have catapulted many boxers into lifelong fame. Boxing has always been more than a sport to King, who contemplates the photos. "Gen. David Petraeus, that was my friend," said King, pointing to a photo signed by the former Army commander, now CIA director. "I went to Iraq with him." On the other side of the room is a picture of King with a young Michael Jackson, who "told me that music is the ribbon that ties humanity together," King recalled. "And I added to that boxing is a catalyst that brings humanity together to be tied."

Boxing Champion Tapia dies of Heart attack

The 45-year-old boxer, who was found dead at his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico on May 27, died as a result of complications from hypertensive heart disease. Prescription drugs were a contributing factor, the autopsy report said. The cause of death was an accident. Tapia's wife first released the results on Wednesday, saying her husband died of heart disease and had no illegal drugs in his system. He rose to prominence in the late 1980s, and eventually won five world boxing championships in three weight classes: super flyweight, bantamweight, and featherweight. His final professional boxing record was 59 wins, five losses, and two draws. Thirty of his wins were knock-outs. In 2007 he planned a comeback bout against Ilido Julio dubbed "The Final Fury." A month later he was found unconscious of a cocaine overdose and was eventually taken into custody for violating his parole stemming from a prior cocaine offence. Tapia was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His father was murdered when his mother was pregnant with him, and his mother was later brutally murdered when he was eight years old.

Hate campaign against Protestant Boxers

A mainly Protestant boxing club in Belfast has claimed it has been subjected to a decade of "chronic sectarianism" in nationalist areas.  The Sandy Row club has compiled a 57-page report outlining verbal and physical assaults.  The Department of Culture Arts and Leisure said it was aware of the complaints.  But a boxing club in a Catholic area of the city said it had not experienced bigotry.  The PSNI said they had a report of boxers from the Sandy Row club in a tournament in 2010 being subjected to verbal sectarian abuse.  They said the incident at North Queen Street in February of that year was being treated as a hate crime.  The allegations from the Sandy Row club come in the wake of Belfast boxers Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan winning bronze medals at the London Olympics.  Sports Minister Carál Ní Chuilín has also pledged £3m towards the sport.  The assaults, allegedly from followers of the sport, not participants, took place while Sandy Row boxers were fighting in places like west Belfast in the ten years to 2010.  Club secretary Ian McSorley said: "When the young people from Sandy Row went along to boxing championships they suffered different forms of abuse, either physical or mental".

The first incident is said to have been in 2000 when the Sandy Row club was stoned leaving the County Antrim championships in Twinbrook.  "It's a very frightening experience, for anybody to take up boxing, get in the boxing ring... never mind getting abuse or stoned," said Mr McSorley.  He said in February 2010, a Chinese boxer, who was 15, had a bottle thrown at him and he was called an "Orange chink".  The teenager is reported to have said: "I was really scared and I thought we weren't getting out of there. It's put me off boxing".Mr McSorley claimed a lot of promising young boxers had quit the sport because of what had happened to them, and the problem had affected other clubs from Protestant areas.  "Different boxing clubs have sent us letters, came and visited us from all parts of Belfast and said that this shouldn't take place in the sport, especially when these young people are at a formative age," he said.  He said the club had regularly complained to the boxing authorities, including the regulatory body, the Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA). However, it is not currently affiliated to this grouping.  The club has put forward an eight-point plan to combat the problem including holding tournaments in neutral venues and wearing of neutral colours during events.  Mr McSorley denied the club was going public on the alleged assaults because of the money pledged by the sports minister.  "It's nothing to do with the money. The issues are all in the report. It took some time to compile the report. It lets everybody see what has happened," he said.

Pacquiao decides to move next fight to December

Manny Pacquiao has decided to move the date of his next fight from Nov. 10 to Dec. 1.  Pacquiao’s adviser, Mike Koncz, said Pacquiao chose to because of the "conflicting schedules with the boxing and Manny’s personal affairs.”  Pacquiao, the only boxer in history to win eight world titles in as many weight divisions, is also a congressman in his native province of Sarangani.  The 33-year-old Pinoy icon is into showbiz as well, running a weekly television game show, and over the past few months has been deeply associated with the bible.  If Pacquiao fights on Dec. 1, that will be close to six months after his stunning and controversial loss to Timothy Bradley last June 9 in Las Vegas.  Top Rank chief Bob Arum did not pick up his phone today. He was probably busy at the moment or he was not in the mood to talk after news of Pacquiao’s decision came out on the Internet.  "We've informed Top Rank that we cannot go on Nov. 10," Koncz told Lem Satterfield of www.ringTV.com. The fight would have taken place at the MGM Grand.

Arum and Koncz met in New York a couple of days ago.  Arum already has a lock on that date at the MGM, and now he may have to move the mountains to seal the venue for Pacquiao on the first day of December.  But that’s if Pacquiao wants his next fight held at the MGM, where he took the controversial loss to the undefeated Bradley.  "So [Top Rank CEO] Bob Arum has moved the date now to Dec. 1, and he's done that at our request due to conflicting schedules with the boxing and Manny's personal affairs,” Koncz said.  Pacquiao has yet to choose from among the three names that Arum gave him. They are Juan Manuel Marquez, Miguel Cotto and Bradley.

But Pacquiao, jaded boxing observers say, may no longer be interested in a rematch with Bradley or Cotto or a fourth fight with Marquez.  Pacquiao stressed following his loss to Bradley that he wants Floyd Mayweather next, and word is that there are people working on the superfight.  Pacquiao wants Mayweather in April 2013. Perhaps the “secret negotiations” are going on well that there’s a possibility the two superstars may fight on Dec. 1.  If nothing comes out of the Mayweather talks, then Pacquiao should be forced to choose from among Bradley, Marquez or Cotto for a December fight.  Or he may not even fight at all the rest of the year, and instead make sure he’s 110 percent ready if a fight with Mayweather takes place in the first quarter of 2013.

Ricky Hatton set to return to Boxing

The former WBA welterweight champion has not fought since he was outclassed by Manny Pacquiao back in 2009, and confirmed that his career was definitely over last July. But the Daily Star reports that the 33-year-old Mancunian has decided to do a U-turn, and will fight former rival Paulie Malignaggi in late November. Hatton stopped Malignaggi in the 11th round when they met back in 2008, the Hitman inflicting what was at the time just the second defeat of Malignaggi's professional career. And the New Yorker is said to be "desperate" to avenge that defeat, and will be happy to become the first opponent for Hatton as he resurrects his career. Since retiring Hatton has struggled to readjust to life, with his weight ballooning and a cocaine habit landing him in rehab. But the newspaper reports that he has lost two and a half stone and is as fit as he was at the height of his career. Hatton's return is initially set to be for two bouts, but if all goes well he is already hoping to earn a re-match with Pacquiao. The Filipino superstar destroyed the Brit in two unforgettable rounds in Las Vegas in May 2009, a result that left Hatton devastated. He later admitted that he considered suicide after the loss, and reportedly remains convinced that could do himself justice if given another chance.

Manny Pacquiao's next opponent?

It has been more than a week since Top Rank head honcho Bob Arum visited the Philippines to talk to Manny Pacquiao. Arum said that Pacquiao would select an opponent, but the week passed without the former WBO welterweight champion making a decision. There are also rumors that the fight originally scheduled for November 10 will be moved to December 1 to accommodate Pacquiao’s other engagements.

Right now, the list of possible opponents has been trimmed down to four.  Floyd Mayweatter – As always, Floyd Mayweather’s name pops up at the top of the list whenever Pacquiao selects an opponent. The problem with making this fight is that Mayweather just recently got out of jail and nobody expects him to go back to the gym to start training anytime soon. He was incarcerated for a while so expect him to spend more time with his family and friends before fighting again. An interesting factor is how Mayweather and rapper 50 Cent formed their own boxing promotion. This takes Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions out of the equation which might make the negotiations easier. Although Mayweather’s name is on the list, it’s more likely for real negotiations between Mayweather and Pacquiao to happen for a fight next year.  The boxing world has grown weary of waiting for a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight to happen, but by the looks of it, more patience is needed.

Timothy Bradley – The fighter who defeated Pacquiao earlier this year is of course one of the options. Pacquiao has a rematch clause in his contract, so making this fight will be very easy. Bradley wants this fight to happen because it assures him of another big payday and Pacquiao might want another crack at Bradley for the chance to knock him out. The problem however, is that very few people are interested in seeing it. The public knows who the better fighter, is even though two boxing judges thought otherwise. Bradley is not a big name opponent as he is largely unknown outside the boxing world.  The pay-per-view sales from the Pacquiao-Bradley fight were bleak and while a rematch may generate more interest, Pacquiao and his camp are seriously looking into which fight could make the most money, as the eight division champion is down to his last handful of fights.

Juan Manuel Marquez – The Mexican legend is raring for another shot at Pacquiao, as he still believes that he won all three fights against his Filipino nemesis, to the point where he even wrote a book about it. This fight will still get interest from the public because the first three bouts between Pacquiao and Marquez have all been classics. The Mexicans want to see Pacquiao fall at the hands of hero and they know that there’s a real chance that this can happen.  

Miguel Cotto – The last and maybe most far-fetched option for Pacquiao is to fight Miguel Cotto for the second time. In their first meeting, Cotto agreed to put his WBO welterweight title on the line with a catch weight of 145 pounds. After losing to Pacquiao, Cotto revived his career in the super welterweight division. He might be willing to fight under 154 pounds for the right price, but it is highly unlikely that he’ll agree to fight at 150 pounds where Pacquiao fought Antonio Margarito. Pacquiao also expressed his apprehensions about fighting above the welterweight division so consider this a long shot.

In terms of interest, Mayweather should be the logical choice but in this crazy world of boxing, the logical things rarely happen. Marquez and Bradley have the inside track at winning the Pacquiao sweepstakes again and it will all come down to what Pacquiao really wants. If he wants to be called world champion again, he should accept that he’ll earn less money against Bradley. And in my humble opinion, that’s exactly what Pacquiao is going to do.

Mitchell vs Burns will be another classic England vs Scotland

The world lightweight title bout between Englishman Kevin Mitchell and WBO champ Ricky Burns has all the makings of a classic, says David Anderson.In these islands, there are few things we love better than a clash between England and Scotland.  And now that the countries no longer go to war against each other, sport is the next best thing outlet for this rivalry.  Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your point of view, the nations rarely do battle on the football pitch anymore.  Rugby provides the most high-profile platform for this rivalry which is almost as old as time and the Calcutta Cup is a stand-out moment in the sporting calendar.  There are few other sporting scraps between the countries, which is why Ricky Burn's Battle of Britain with Kevin Mitchell is an Anglo-Scottish contest to get the pulse racing.  This is a proper fight as Scotland's WBO lightweight champ Burns puts his crown on the line against proud Englishman Mitchell.  It has the makings of another Bannockburn or Culloden, depending on which side of Hadrian's Wall you live on.  It promises to be a great scrap between two fighters who are riding the crest of a wave.

Burns announced his arrival on the world stage two years ago when he beat Roman Martinez to win the WBO super-featherweight title.  He made three defences of the strap before stepping up to campaign at lightweight.  In his first fight he beat dangerous Aussie Michael Katsidis to win the WBO's interim crown before being crowned the full champion.  Mitchell is also on the up after a difficult time.  It looked like his world title dream had gone in May 2010 when he was stopped inside three rounds by Katsidis when they fought for the WBO interim crown.  He bounced back in spectacular fashion in July 2011, handing John Murray his first pro defeat to announce his return to the big time.  After a win in a tune-up fight against Felix Lora in February, he is ready for Burns.  They will meet at Glasgow's SECC on September 22 and Burns is honoured to emulate the likes of Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank and Naseem Hamed by fighting there.  "To fight for the first time at the SECC in the biggest and most important fight of my life against Mitchell where all these great names have boxed is an unbelievable honour," he said.  "You can't get bigger names than Benn, Eubank and Naz. They're like British boxing royalty and I can't wait to get in the ring and thrill the fans like they did with their appearances there."  Bring it on!

Is there any way Olympic Boxing can be fixed

The London 2012 Olympics were 99 per cent a rousing worldwide success. Unfortunately, the boxing scoring system formed a fair chunk of the remaining 1 per cent. Firstly, after a manic but amazing fortnight for the Games, The Pugilist feels good to be back. Secondly, before we go deep into negativity, a massive congratulations are due to those Great Britain and Ireland boxers who took medals home from East London - in particular, the seminal gold medal performances of Nicola Adams and Katie Taylor, and the blistering bantam final between Brit Luke Campbell and Irishman John Joe Nevin. Right, feel-good stuff out of the way. Now for the the less-glowing developments. The introduction of a new scoring system (covered in-depth by TP for Eurosport's London Spy Olympic series here) irked purists, and sure enough a storm was brewing. It felt like there wasn't a single day of action from London's ExCeL that didn't involve at least one contentious, sometimes downright incorrect, result. It bore something of a resemblance to the issue of empty seats at some Olympic events, despite the struggles many had finding a way to experience a once-in-a-lifetime deal first-hand, in that the efforts of the athletes and the enthusiasm of the public were being undermined by the poor organisation of those in charge. That said, talk of scrapping the sport from the Games entirely was equally preposterous, as were minority conspiracy theories of home bias (try calling those shenanigans to Tom Stalker). Take away the judges' decisions and you're left with a festival of exciting performances, emotional climaxes and unlikely crowd favourites coming to the fore, all before a molten crowd. So with that in mind, and in the wake of the quick death of the new judicial system, we have suggested a few concepts which could improve matters in time for Rio.

Usher to play in Sugar ray leonard upcoming film

Usher has signed on to play boxer Sugar Ray Leonard in a forthcoming movie, the BBC reports. The singer confirmed the casting in an interview, explaining that if people see him running around London, it's part of his training for the role. "I'm in preparation for a very incredible role," Usher told the BBC. "If you see me in the corners boxing, I'm doing that while working on this album."  The film, called Hands of Stone, will begin filming later this year. Usher will star opposite Robert De Niro and Gael García Bernal in the picture, which tells the story of Panamanian boxer Roberto Durán.  Usher will also release his seventh studio album later this year. "Climax," the Diplo-produced first single from the as-yet-untitled record, is on the charts now.

What does the future hold for olympic boxers?

The refreshing difference this time is that at least two of the biggest headline-makers from the ExCeL are thus far resolutely refusing to consider taking potentially lucrative sums to move into the paid ranks.  While it is a little ambitious to consider that Anthony Joshua may be around to defend his Olympic title in Rio in 2016, he certainly spoke convincingly enough in the wake of his win to suggest he will stay amateur until next year's World Championships.  Who knows where such a lead would leave the others? Seeing the sport's talisman resist the lucre may well convince some that there is more reason to remain part of the close-knit team in Sheffield.  The amateur game is changing to the point where it is barely amateur at all. The world governing body AIBA are pushing through a so-called 'amateur professional' programme which will see top stars sign long, guaranteed contracts.  Contrast it to the professional game where top promoters are struggling for television revenue like never before, and where only the very best achieve an annual income which eclipses that of the elite lottery funded amateurs.  Here we reflect on the team's historic 2012 Olympics, and ask in turn what the future holds for the fighters themselves:  ANDREW SELBY: Brother Lee's professional career may well tip the balance for Selby. But the young Welshman might find it hard to match his guaranteed salary as one of the amateur sport's big stars.  LUKE CAMPBELL: Claims to be keeping his options open, but is highly likely to take his pick from a number of offers that have come his way. Having achieved his lifelong dream, has little left to prove.JOSH TAYLOR: For Lochend youngster Taylor, London was a superb learning experience. His big day is yet to come when he hopes to represent Scotland in the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.  THOMAS STALKER: Time is not on Stalker's side, but it is hard to see the likeable Liverpool fighter committing to the amateurs after the despair of his controversial Olympics defeat to Mongolia's Munkh-Erdene Uranchimeg.  FRED EVANS: Evans had a glorious Olympics, finishing with silver, and while he will certainly be courted by the pros, it would not be a big surprise to see him take a lead from Joshua, and stick around a little longer.  ANTHONY OGOGO: A virtual certainty to go professional. Ogogo's looks and personality will make him big box office and he will be top of the list of a number of promoters. Has the style to make it as a pro too.  ANTHONY JOSHUA: Joshua is adamant he will not take the first sizeable sum that has been flung his way. First, he wants to win gold in Kazakhstan next year. Then he will deserve which ever big deal takes his fancy.  NICOLA ADAMS: For gold medallist Adams, like her female team-mates, there is little point giving up the chance to go to another Games in order to join the virtually non-existent pro circuit. Adams will push for Rio.  NATASHA JONAS: Emerging from the Games with great credit after the fight of the tournament with Katie Taylor, Jonas is also likely to aim for Rio. Her biggest challenge could be keeping the young girls she has inspired at bay.  SAVANNAH MARSHALL: Marshall was the biggest disappointment of the London Games but she has plenty of time to come again. At 21, she has proved she can go all the way. Do not be surprised to see her do it in Rio.

Boxing duo Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan get a Titanic reception as the red carpet is rolled out

Belfast's most famous export was a fitting venue for the homecoming of the city’s Olympic bronze medallist boxing heroes.  Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan were given a Titanic reception at the building honouring the famous ship on their return home on Monday.  Proudly displaying their medals, the pair spent an hour meeting many of the fans who had cheered them on throughout the Games.  The red carpet was rolled out — literally — for the reception and both were only too happy to pose for pictures and sign autographs.  Among those waiting to greet Paddy and Michael were Northern Ireland Olympic boxing heroes of yesteryear.  They included John McNally, who took silver in the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki; Freddie Gilroy, who won bronze in 1956, making world headlines at the height of the Cold War by knocking out a Russian; Jim McCourt, who took bronze in Tokyo in 1964; and Hugh Russell who won bronze in 1980 in Moscow.

Olympians Jim Montague, who competed in 1972, and David Larmour, who took part in 1976, were also present.  Conlan said he was overwhelmed by the support.  “I wasn’t aware of how much support there was until I saw the news clips of people watching the fights here and seeing all the kids’ faces,” he said.  “It’s great to see all the support back home. I really do appreciate it, it’s amazing.  “I think a lot of people were watching the boxing as they had watched the (Euro 2012) football and we were terrible and had nothing to cheer about then.  “So they had something to cheer about and it just lifted the spirits of everyone in Ireland.”  Paddy was proudly displaying a wristband in support of three-year-old Oscar Knox, who is currently battling cancer.  The two have been exchanging messages on twitter with Oscar sending a picture showing his support for Paddy while he was in London.  “The support we’ve had has been unreal,” said the 25-year-old.  “We are a wee bit out of the way here and I was surprised how many people turned up. It’s great.”  Asked if there would be a knees-up at his house on Monday night, he quipped: “There better not be, I’m tired!”

Fred Evans is hoping for a gold medal in Rio

WITH Great Britain’s London 2012 boxers having the most successful Games since 1920, team leader Rob McCracken faces an anxious wait as the promoters circle ready to pluck his prizefighters from the amateur ranks and place them in professional circles.But one he might not lose any sleep over is silver medallist Fred Evans after the Cardiff boxer revealed he could be at his peak for Rio 2016.  Evans played his part in Team GB’s successful boxing campaign at London 2012, settling for welterweight silver after losing the final 19-7 against Kazakhstan’s Serik Sapiyev.  Like the rest of his medal winning compatriots – McCracken’s crew finishing the Games with three golds, a silver and a bronze – the lure to turn professional will soon kick in once Evans and co have put their feet up after a job well done in the capital.

But, despite admitting he is yet to make a firm decision either way, Evans isn’t about to rule out trying to upgrade his silver to gold at Rio 2016 – far from it.  “My London 2012 experience was amazing and, although I was aiming for the gold, I am obviously not upset at ending up with a silver,” he said.  “I don’t know what my future will be yet, but I am still young. I am only 21 so in four years time I will be young still.  “But I am not going to rush into a decision this soon after London. I need to go away and have a bit of a rest before getting back into the routine of training before anything else.  “Although I have won an Olympic medal, I know I am not the finished article by any means and I have a lot to learn still.  “I’ve got loads of experience to gain, but once I get back into training I’ll sit down with my coaches and family and decide where I go, see what’s best for me.”  However, before Evans can even entertain the idea of Rio, there is the business of next year’s World Championships to attend to.  And with them taking place in the home of his London 2012 victor, Evans can see the perfect opportunity for revenge presenting itself.  “I will be older and stronger and I would fancy another fight with him (Sapiyev) in his home town,” he added.

Cuban Boxing explained

As Cuban teenager Robeisy Ramirez Carrazana defeated Mongolia's Tugstsogt Nyambayar to win the flyweight gold medal at London 2012 he was carrying on a rich boxing legacy. Cuban boxers are the most successful in the history of amateur boxing, with each generation producing a host of world-class fighters. Cuba has won 32 Olympic boxing gold medals since 1972, more than any other country, which is all the more remarkable given that they boycotted the 1984 and 1988 Olympics.Former boxing World Champion Barry McGuigan, who fought for Ireland in the 1980 Moscow Olympics and is at London 2012 working with LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games), has been assessing what makes Cuban boxers special. "Cuban boxers are genetically predisposed to boxing. Their genetic make-up aligned with the volatile Latino temperament, world-class trainers and iron discipline make for an explosive combination," explains McGuigan. McGuigan thinks it is no coincidence that there are so many world-class Cuban fighters in every weight division. "The Cubans all look bigger than everyone else in their division. They train at the highest level with world-class coaches. They have the perfect fighting physique: tall and lean with broad shoulders."

Former boxing World Champion Barry McGuigan, who fought for Ireland in the 1980 Moscow Olympics and is at London 2012 working with LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games), has been assessing what makes Cuban boxers special. "Cuban boxers are genetically predisposed to boxing. Their genetic make-up aligned with the volatile Latino temperament, world-class trainers and iron discipline make for an explosive combination," explains McGuigan. McGuigan thinks it is no coincidence that there are so many world-class Cuban fighters in every weight division. "The Cubans all look bigger than everyone else in their division. They train at the highest level with world-class coaches. They have the perfect fighting physique: tall and lean with broad shoulders."In 1962, professional boxing in Cuba was banned by Fidel Castro. So amateur boxing reigns supreme in the country. Successful amateur boxers are regarded as superstars. McGuigan maintains there is a real incentive for Cubans to excel in the sporting arena: "In a country where resources are limited, promising boxers are brought into a camp, trained and educated and their families well looked after. Boxers are schooled in an almost military style environment where discipline is paramount." As a consequence of Castro's ban, if fighters want to pursue their dream of becoming world champion they have to make the heartbreaking decision to defect from the country and McGuigan says this decision can have a profound effect on fighters. "It can be very tough for them because they are excommunicated and separated from their families."

Women's Boxing viewed as Big Hit at The Olympics

Under the lights of London 2012, boxing occupies a shadowed corner, away from the healthy brilliance of other sports. It can seem a hopelessly outmoded sport – all vicarious brutality, needless damage, and cruel aggression. Olympic boxing, as a form of amateur boxing, attracts less controversy than the professional ranks, in part because Olympic boxers wear headgear and box fewer rounds. But this year Olympic boxing is under more scrutiny than ever before: for the first time, women are competing beside men.  Women's boxing attracts a wealth of controversy and prejudice, of approval and pride. Coach Pedro Roque, explaining why Cuba was not sending female boxers to London 2012, said that women should be "showing off their beautiful faces, not getting punched in the face". Frank Maloney, famous for managing Lennox Lewis, described the first British women's amateur boxing match as "a freak show".  Defenders of women's boxing tend to focus not on the merits of the sport itself, but rather on its cultural and political implications. For American writer Katherine Dunn, women's boxing reveals women's capacity for aggression, and should be seen in terms of a feminist movement. In the world of international advocacy, the Cooperation for Peace and Unity (CPAU) in Afghanistan developed a boxing project for women and teenage girls, in the belief that women's boxing could provide a model of cultural participation for women in Afghanistan.  Female boxers, and the progressive cultural force they are seen to embody, have also been the focus of artworks. Photographer Inzajeano Latif's compelling portrait of a "female boxer" was exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in London. In America, Golden Gloves winner (and single mum) Nisa Rodriguez starred in the video to Gil Scot-Heron's 2010 track I'll Take Care of You.

Former Heavyweight Champion Michael Dokes dies aged 54

Former WBA heavyweight champion Michael Dokes has died of liver cancer, aged 54. Dokes, who won the heavyweight title against Mike Weaver in December 1982, passed away on Saturday in Akron, Ohio. Nicknamed 'Dynamite', Dokes fought Evander Holyfield, Donovan 'Razor' Ruddock and Riddick Bowe in a 21-year career. Dokes had battled with cocaine addiction throughout his career, as well as serving eight years in prison. The Ohio-born boxer turned professional in 1976 and took the WBA heavyweight title six years later in controversial circumstances after referee Joey Curtis stopped his fight with Mike Weaver in the first round. Dokes drew the rematch with Weaver and retained the title before relinquishing it to Gerrie Coetzee in September 1983. He would never hold a world championship title again. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2000 after pleading guilty to attempted murder, second-degree kidnapping and intent to commit sexual assault against his girlfriend, and was released in 2008.

Luke Campbell takes Gold

Even tough guys cry. Luke Campbell joined female flyweight Nicola Adams as an Olympic champion. The 24-year-old from Hull fought the contest of his life to hold off swarming Irishman John Joe Nevin last night and claim Britain's first bantamweight gold in more than a century.  In what has been the most successful Olympics for British boxers since Melbourne in 1956, Campbell scored frequently and decisively against an opponent he knows well but whose performances in this tournament have been sharp and exciting. In front from the start, Campbell had a lead of 5-3 after the first round, showing a clarity of punching that was to improve as the bout progressed, notably with the smart use of a left hook and his southpaw jab.

A storming second round saw Nevin come out more aggressively, catching Campbell with a neat right cross, but the Briton remained unruffled, one point ahead at 9-8.  What clinched it for him was a cracking right in the third which caught the Irishman flush on the temple, sending him tottering down for the Brazilian referee to administer a statutory standing count of eight. Such knockdowns are worth only one point but the advantage was sufficient to give Campbell the confidence he needed to take the bout at 14-11.  It was a result that bought tears of joy to him and no complaint from 23-year-old Nevin, an Irish traveller who had hoped to emulate his female compatriot Katie Taylor by becoming an Olympic champion.

Nicola Adams takes Gold for team GB

When Nicola Adams first put on boxing gloves at her local gym as a tiny schoolgirl of 12, bouts between two women were banned by the British Boxing Board of Control. They were too unstable, went the reasoning, on account of their menstrual cycles, and besides no one wanted to see a pretty girl get hit.  On Thursday, 17 years later but not a great deal taller, Adams finally gave her response in the ring, emphatically defeating the Chinese world champion flyweight Ren Cancan to become the first woman ever to claim an Olympic gold medal in boxing.  She had only gone to the gym that day because her mother had an aerobics class and could not find any childcare.  Britain may be getting accustomed to gorging on medals, but the country's 24th gold, courtesy of Adams, is more significant than most.  When the IOC ruled in 2009 that women's boxing would be in the London Games, 11 years after the BBBC was obliged to lift its unequal ban, the former world champion Amir Khan said he was against the move, saying: "When you get hit it can be very painful."  On Thursday he was ringside, paying lavish tributes, with everyone else, to the skill and dexterity of the female fighters.

Once London's festival of sport has come to its conclusion, there is little question women's boxing will be reckoned one of its great successes. It is not merely the ferociously supportive crowds the sport has drawn – even if the most vocal bellows have been reserved for Ireland's Katie Taylor, who took lightweight gold shortly after Adams's bout – but the respect the competitors have commanded, among boxing ingenues and experienced sports devotees alike.  As recently as March this year, the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) was threatening to force women boxers at the Games to compete while wearing skirts "to help distinguish them from the men".  Immediately before Adams's bout, Ching-Kuo Wu, the AIBA president, said the Rio Games would almost certainly see the number of divisions at which women could compete at the Games double from three to six. London's women fighters, he said, were "heroes in boxing history".  As Adams stood on the podium to claim her gold, four days into women's Olympic boxing history, the exclusion before now of women from the sport already seemed as ridiculous as the bar, until 1984, on their running the marathon. Did she think she had answered the sceptics, she was asked later?

Katie Taylor beats Britain's Natasha Jones

You would not want to pick an argument with Katie Taylor. That Natasha Jonas did and lost 26-15 to the Irish boxing phenomenon at the Olympics is to her eternal credit.  It was the bout of the day – and arguably the bout of the tournament so far. The ever-smiling Liverpudlian lightweight can say now that, although she missed an Olympic medal, she traded quality punches on the grandest stage with the best female boxer there has ever been or, possibly, ever will be.  Jonas joined her Great Britain team-mate and the reigning world middleweight champion, Savannah Marshall, on the way out of the inaugural women's competition at the quarter-finals stage but both gave their best.  They will be there to cheer on the third British female here, Nicola Adams, who came through in the flyweight division with a comfortable 16-7 win over the Bulgarian Stoyka Petrova. Next up for Adams is the excellent Indian Mary Kom, the mother of twins.  It is three years since Adams fell down stairs at home and was sidelined for 12 months with a back injury that threatened to cut short her career. The part-time actor (occasionally spotted in Coronation Street) will not have received more applause than she did in this ring in front of a capacity audience.

Meanwhile, Taylor, from Bray, County Wicklow, is destined to win Ireland's first gold medal at these Games to go with four world titles over the past six years. Her compatriot and a former world title challenger, Matthew Macklin, was moved to observe: "One word springs to mind watching Katie Taylor: special! Absolutely gifted."  That is three words Matt but never mind: it is easy to run out of superlatives describing a woman whose hand speed, footwork, power and ring craft are every bit as good as many of her male counterparts.  "When you see women's boxing at the highest level," Jonas said later, "and that kind of performance, how can you argue that women aren't just as good as the men?" You wouldn't argue with Jonas either. Both of them spar against men and it showed in their sharpness as, after a slow start, Jonas got to parity in round two of four, then gave nearly as good as she received, especially with tireless attacks to the body, and came through standing eight counts in the third and final two-minute stanzas.  Taylor said of Jonas: "She's a super boxer and a fantastic person. I had to work so hard. She wasn't hurt at all. I am just delighted with the win."  The packed arena was a cell of noise for most of the eight minutes, officially recorded as 113.7 decibels, as loud as any rock concert and four decibels greater than the human pain threshold, a testament to the popularity of the combatants and the sport. At many Olympic boxing tournaments the seats do not fill to capacity until the semi-finals. These were quarters but this bout was worthy of a final.

The 25 most powerful people in Boxing

There are few sports more star-driven than boxing. The NFL doesn't rely on a Tom Brady or a Peyton Manning the same way boxing desperately needs guys like Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather Jr. In the major team sports, guys like Brady and Manning have influence, but they're just one piece in the cog. When Brady missed almost the entire 2008 season, the NFL didn't see a drop in ticket sales, merchandise sales, television ratings or overall interest. Try the same thing in boxing. Guarantee in 2013 that neither Pacquiao nor Mayweather fights and the sport will take a precipitous drop. Big stars are extraordinarily important for boxing. Good matches between little known fighters don't sell at the box office and don't attract television ratings. That gives guys like Pacquiao and Mayweather extraordinary power and influence within the industry. It also makes big-time power brokers of those who work with them. With that in mind, here are the Top 25 most powerful men (and women) in boxing: 1. Al Haymon – The most powerful guy in boxing is also its most mysterious. You'll rarely, if ever, see him in front of a television camera and you'll never catch him speaking to a reporter. He's not a promoter. He's not a manager. But when Haymon says jump, plenty of people in boxing listen. He's referred to as an adviser, which is a smart way to avoid having to be licensed by an athletic commission and to skirt the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act. It's illegal in the U.S. to serve as a promoter and a manager, though Haymon does both.

1. Al Haymon – The most powerful guy in boxing is also its most mysterious. You'll rarely, if ever, see him in front of a television camera and you'll never catch him speaking to a reporter. He's not a promoter. He's not a manager. But when Haymon says jump, plenty of people in boxing listen. He's referred to as an adviser, which is a smart way to avoid having to be licensed by an athletic commission and to skirt the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act. It's illegal in the U.S. to serve as a promoter and a manager, though Haymon does both. But what he does is, he'll hire a promoter to, essentially, buy his or her license for an event. So, while, say, Gary Shaw Productions may be the promoter of record for an event, he's doing so at the direction of Haymon. It's Shaw who has to follow the regulations required of a promoter by the state athletic commissions, not Haymon, but it's Haymon making the calls. He also directs the careers of many fighters, serving as a de facto manager. But while managers are required to be licensed by the states, advisers are not. He's involved with a slew of the sport's biggest stars, including the biggest, Floyd Mayweather Jr. When Haymon wants one of his fighters on television, he gets it. His fighters compete when he says, where he says, on the network he wants and generally for what he asks purse-wise. There's no one more powerful than that.

2. Todd duBoef – duBoef is the president of Top Rank. He is the promoter of Manny Pacquiao, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., and Nonito Donaire. He is very innovative and has made many changes, including revamping the live event atmosphere at Top Rank fights. He's embraced the use of technology and Top Rank is clearly the leader in the digital space among boxing promoters.

 3. Richard Schaefer – The CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, Schaefer for years had to listen as competitors and media moaned about his unfair advantage in landing fights on HBO. Then, when the deal with HBO ended, the former legal counsel for Golden Boy, Stephen Espinoza, was hired to run Showtime Sports. Suddenly, Golden Boy's fights are all over Showtime and Schaefer's competitors are moaning again. That's the definition of power and influence. Schaefer works well with Haymon and, as a result of that relationship, he's promoted all of Mayweather's fights since 2007. He also owns Ring Magazine and its website uses it as a propaganda tool when need be. When he complained that media was too influenced by Top Rank's Bob Arum, he used the site he owns and a reporter he pays as the vehicle to do it. That provides him with even more influence.

4. Curtis Jackson – Jackson is a musician who is best known by his stage name, 50 Cent. He recently formed a promotional company, TMT Promotions, which is short for "The Money Team." That is the moniker that Mayweather has given his crew. It appears that Jackson will be Mayweather's promoter going forward. TMT Promotions has reportedly signed fighters such as Yuriorkis Gamboa, Andre Dirrell, Zab Judah and Andre Berto. None of them are big draws, but it's an indicator that Jackson is serious about promoting. As long as he's fast friends with Mayweather and Mayweather continues to fight, he'll continue to be among the leading boxing power-brokers.

5. Bob Arum – The Top Rank founder is a Hall of Fame member who is still very active at 80. And while much of the business is run by duBoef, Arum's imprint is still all over everything Top Rank does. He has a great knack for understanding how to build a fighter and he gives his very strong team plenty of room to do their jobs. As a result, he consistently comes up with star after star and remains at the top even as others fall into irrelevance. Arum has stayed current, though he keeps referring to Jackson as "50 Cents." That faux pas aside, Arum is a relentless worker who has relationships with some of the most powerful people in the television, venue and casino businesses. 6. Ken Hershman – The president of HBO Sports, Hershman has the biggest budget and the largest reach of any broadcaster who does big-time boxing. As a result, if he wants a fight to be on HBO, it usually is.

6. Ken Hershman – The president of HBO Sports, Hershman has the biggest budget and the largest reach of any broadcaster who does big-time boxing. As a result, if he wants a fight to be on HBO, it usually is.

 7. Floyd Mayweather Jr.– He's the top boxer in the sport. He's the biggest draw in the sport. He's aligned with the most powerful figure in the sport. Those factors earn Mayweather a spot on the list. The only issue is whether he should be higher.

 8. Manny Pacquiao – He's not as big as Mayweather in the U.S., but he's got a bigger fan base world-wide. The Philippines is a boxing-mad country and Pacquiao has great influence with the young boxers emerging there.

 9. Stephen Espinoza – Espinoza is the executive vice president and the general manager of Showtime Sports. He controls a big budget and a lot of dates, many of which are going to his old bosses at Golden Boy. But without any significant involvement in boxing from basic cable or over-the-air network channels, he's in charge of the No. 2 outlet in the U.S.


10. Kathy Duva – The promoter at Main Events has laid a strong foundation in a deal with the NBC Sports Network for fights. She's also managed to convince NBC to put fights on the network starting later this year. Right now, most of the fights involve lesser names, but if she has success with the series, it could lead to more high-profile bouts with bigger audiences. But with the television dates and the potential audience she controls, she wields considerable influence among the boxing crowd.

11. Leonard Ellerbe – Ellerbe is the CEO of Mayweather Promotions and is extremely close with Mayweather. He's also close with Haymon and 50 Cent, putting him squarely in the middle of a lot of big deals.

12. Fernando Beltran – Beltran is a promoter in Mexico and delivers many of the top Mexican stars to Top Rank. The Hispanic audience is a significant one for boxing and nobody is stronger with it than Beltran.

 13. Oscar De La Hoya – The Golden Boy was No. 1 on this list in 2008. But he's no longer boxing and his influence isn't what it was. He's a liability at times to the company with his Tweeting and he's been taunted relentlessly by 50 Cent. But De La Hoya is still an idol to many younger boxers and his presence without question attracts fighters to Golden Boy.

14. Richard Plepler– Plepler is the co-president of HBO and is the man who hired Hershman. He's not a boxing guy and isn't involved on a day-to-day basis, but it's Plepler who sets the tone for the boxing content that winds up on HBO. The amount of boxing-related shoulder content on HBO has increased dramatically since Plepler has taken a greater interest in it.

15. Keith Kizer – A state regulator ordinarily wouldn't make a list of the most powerful, but Kizer runs the commission in Nevada, where the majority of the sport's biggest events are held. He has great sway with his commissioners and exerts a firm hand over what happens. The fact that Antonio Margarito did not fight again in Nevada after the hand wraps incident with Shane Mosley in California in 2009 was largely the result of Kizer's behind-the-scenes influence with the Nevada boxing commissioners.

16. Wladimir Klitschko – The International Boxing Federation, World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organization heavyweight champion attracts crowds of 30,000 plus in Europe for fights the fans know going in are not going to be competitive. He has a lot of sway with the TV networks in the U.S., as well.

17. Jim Lampley– Lampley is the voice of HBO Boxing and, as such, plays a huge role in how the public perceives the sport. He's also landed a news magazine show in which he's able to explore serious topics in the sport in more depth. He reportedly was involved in a coup of sorts to try to take over the boxing division at HBO last year. It didn't work, but Lampley still remains a major player.

18. Michael Koncz– He's Pacquiao's right-hand man and that alone gives him juice. Whether he retains that when Pacquiao retires, or if he manages to hang around with Pacquiao until the end, can be debated. But he speaks for the champ and that opens plenty of doors for him.

19. Bruce Trampler – Top Rank's Hall of Fame matchmaker, Trampler has the ear of Arum and duBoef. They still won't make a big fight without his OK.

20. Bernd Boente – He's often insufferable and has more feuds than Pete Rose has hits, it seems, but Boente is the personal manager of the Klitschko brothers and wields plenty of power as a result.

 21. Eric Gomez – The matchmaker for Golden Boy Promotions is also De La Hoya's boyhood friend. Gomez shapes the career of many fighters who appear regularly on TV and he's earned Schaefer's trust.

22. Gordon Hall – Hall runs Showtime's ShoBox series, which is a steppingstone for young prospects looking to move to the next level. All of boxing's managers have his number on speed dial.

23. Cameron Dunkin – Dunkin is a manager of elite fighters like Donaire and Timothy Bradley Jr. He's one of the best talent evaluators in the business and, despite an appearance he's a Top Rank guy, has relationships with all of the promoters.

 24. Mark Taffet – The senior vice president of sports operations and pay-per-view at HBO, Taffet has much say in who appears on the air and how they're presented.

 25. Kery Davis – Davis is the senior vice president of sports programming a HBO. It's his day-to-day job to program HBO's boxing shows and he's extremely close with Haymon.